


The Wolf of Mementos

by TheDeathEcchi



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Action, Drama, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-01 13:04:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11486976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDeathEcchi/pseuds/TheDeathEcchi
Summary: Wolves are territorial creatures by nature. Whether moving together as a pack, or standing their ground alone, any area they claim is theirs. And wolves never take kindly to intruders, especially when they get in their way.





	1. Territory

"Stupid humans!" shouted the Shadow, running with what one could only hope was its tail between its legs.

Ryuji chuckled as he knelt down to pick up the discarded yen. "Easy money. We'll be done in no time at this rate."

It was the same old, same old. Another trip down to Mementos. Another request from the Phan-Site. Another after-battle money hunt. With the female side of their little gang having a 'Girl's Day Out', the task of collecting spare cash fell to Ryuji, Akira, Yusuke, and Morgana. 

"Ever hear of 'pride before the fall'?" asked Morgana sardonically, hopping over to pick up a spare coin that had nearly gotten lost in the melee.

"Nope!" Ryuji replied, in only that blissfully ignorant way he could; with overconfidence and a cheeky grin. Morgana signed, shook his head, and went back to searching for more scattered yen.

"Mementos seems especially unruly today..." Yusuke noted, hands held out before him, trying to capture the whorl and darkness of the collective unconscious. Closing an eye and poking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth, he drew his hands across the eerie landscape, until his gaze fell upon Akira, who had a hand to his chin, and a contemplative look on his face.

"Troubled?" asked the artist, lowering his hands.

"...Something's up." And Yusuke expected that was the most he'd get out of their leader. How quickly he turned into a man of few words when something occupied his mind. Yusuke envied that level of concentration.

All four's activities ground to a screeching halt at the sound of a roar echoing across Mementos.

"What the hell was that!?" exclaimed Ryuji, eyes wide. "Was that a freaking Reaper?"

"It can't be! We've only been here for...for..." Morgana paused. "How long _have_ we been here?"

That was one of the worst things about Mementos. When raking in the cash, you tended to lose track of time. Which could mean the loss of your life.

Another roar came, closer. And along with it, the distinct sound of a Shadow.

Ryuji gripped his bat tight as the others drew their firearms. The running came closer, until the image of a Slime was made clear. It took notice of the four, who prepared for the worst--

"Help!" It screamed, stunning them all. Of all the things they expected it to say, it wasn't that. "Help m--" 

Its words were cut short as a third roar shook the very stagnant air of Mementos, following by the sound of metal striking gooey, festering flesh. 

As the Shadow dissolved into nothing more than a splotch on the floor, a figure rose up. 

He was fairly tall, probably Yusuke's height. And he certainly wasn't Japanese-native, if his dark skin and short, curly black hair was any indication. A gray, tattered cloak hung off his form, and as his arms retreated back inside, Akira saw a glint of metal between his fingers. 

But that wasn't the biggest shock.

Affixed to his face was a telltale mask.

A wolf mask.

A Persona user's mask.

"Morgana..." spoke Yusuke, and even Ryuji could sense the unease in his voice. "Explain."

"H-How should I know!? I don't know every Persona user! I didn't even think there were any more after you guys!"

The figure watched them, eyes scanning the four as they kept their weapons up. He hadn't spoken or made a move since arriving. They had yet to determine if that was a good or bad thing. 

"Who are you?" asked Akira, breaking the silence.

"None of your fucking business." Even Ryuji was taken aback by the sudden venomous reply, even more that the stranger spoke perfect Japanese.

"Whoa, dude, what's your problem? Who the hell even _are_ you? How'd you get down here?"

A low growl went up. At first, they assumed the presence of another Shadow, only to realize it was coming from their mysterious visitor. "I didn't ask you any questions. Why should you care what I'm doing down here?"

The same thought went through their minds. Was this someone like Akechi? Someone who sought to exploit the Metaverse for their own ends?

This time, the growl that came up was definitely from a Shadow. An Archangel had snuck up behind the dark-skinned boy, hand raised to deliver a lethal blow...

"Look out!" shouted Akira. But before his hands could make it even halfway to his mask, the stranger whirled around, and gripped the Archangel by the neck. The glint of metal shined again, and Akira could just barely make out blades between the boy's fingers. The stranger squeezed, hard, and the Shadow disappeared with a sickening crunch.

"H-Holy..." marveled Ryuji. "That...was some Makoto shit."

Facing the group again, the mysterious youth walked towards them, footsteps confident, and with purpose. Yusuke tried to stop the shaking in his hands, but couldn't. Morgana was suddenly very aware that he only had a slingshot at the ready. Ryuji's heart hammering so fast it would've sounded like it wasn't beating at all.

Akira held onto his resolve, prepared to put a bullet between the boy's eyes if he so much as blinked. Which, he noticed with the faintest trace of fear, he hadn't done yet, boring into him with almost hateful brown eyes.

He stopped, mere inches from the group. From his cloak he thrust out an arm and pointed at them. 

"Stay out of my way." he spoke, in a tone that left no room for argument.

With that, he strode past the Thieves, not even looking back in their direction as he disappeared into the inky blackness of Mementos.

As the sound of his footsteps faded, Yusuke's legs gave out, and he fell to his knees, shaking. "That was..." he said, in a raspy, fearful shudder. He couldn't finish the sentence, but his friends knew.

One thought ran through Akira's head. "We need to get Futaba."

-/-/-/-/- 

For the longest time, Futaba never saw the point of saunas. Really, what would be the purpose of sitting around and sweating yourself into a coma? She did that enough times during raid days in Realms of Robocraft. 

Her tune changed, however, when her friends dragged her to one. 

"This..." she spoke in a voice of total and complete contentment. "Is...heavenly."

"See? Told you." Ann replied with a gentle nudge. Too wrapped up in her bliss Futaba to care that the blonde had nudged her a little too close to her chest.

"Next Palace we go to better have one of these..." sighed the hacker, stretching. "Or I'm gonna bitch the entire time."

"Language." piped up Makoto. "And this is a time for peaceful relaxation and _quiet_ contemplation." With the matter believed to be resolved, she closed her eyes and settled once more.

Grinning, Ann mouthed 'Watch this.' to Futaba. Curious, the redhead halted her own sauna time. Ann held up her palms, pressed them against her mouth, and blew, making a loud, very rude noise.

"Ann Takamaki!" shouted Makoto, face as red as her eyes. Futaba burst into laughter, not even minding that she was more than likely in for a severe scolding later. "The two of you are so juvenile! Honestly, you're worse than Ryuji!"

Watching all this unfold, barely tethered to consciousness, was Haru. When she suggested the sauna for their girls' outing, she forgot the tiny little detail that dry heat both tired her out, and gave her already fluffy hair even more body. Both manageable so long as she got to see her friends happy.

When their session ended, the quartet strolled out to be greeted by a refreshing wave of cool air. After dressing and gathering their things, they sat outside, waiting for their friends.

"We should do this more often." smiled Haru, thankful for the return to natural heat. "It's fun to be together, just us girls."

"I'll say." sighed Ann, stretching her legs over the cracked pavement. "This sure beats fighting waves of Shadows any day. Ooh! You know what would make this day perfect?"

Makoto immediately turned to face Ann. "No crepes."

"But--!"

"You said it yourself; you need to cut down on your sugar intake, and you entrusted me to make sure you stuck to it. And that's what I'm doing."

"But Makoto--!" 

"No. Crepes." Reaching into her pocket, the brunette produced a small butterscotch candy and handed it to Ann. "This should suffice."

It was paltry, but Ann knew she meant well, and the gesture was appreciated. Smiling, she took the candy and popped it into her mouth, savoring the taste.

"So, how'd you enjoy your first trip to the sauna?" Haru asked Futaba. But the orange-haired girl seemed to have gone to another planet. Behind her large glasses, her eyes were clouded in a relaxed glaze, and she seemed to be sinking into the very floor. Slowly, she raised her arms and brought them together in a heart shape, before letting them fall to her sides again. "That's a good answer."

The three more conscious members jolted to attention at the hurried, familiar footsteps of their friends; Ryuji's irregular clomp, Yusuke's airy gait, and Akira's purposeful jog.

Right away, they could tell. Something was wrong.

"Guys..." Ryuji panted, leaning against the wall. "You aren't gonna believe what..." He paused, pointing down at Futaba. 'Sup with her?"

-/-/-/-/- 

The group was silent as Akira finished regaling them with their events in Mementos. It had started to rain once they made it back to Leblanc, the pitter patter of droplets falling, and the smooth instrumental jazz courtesy of the radio the only things breaking the silence.

"Do you think he's working with anyone?" asked Makoto, entering her policewoman mode. "Maybe some stragglers from the conspiracy?"

"I doubt it." Morgana replied, pausing to lick his paw and brush his face. "All of the people on Shido's payroll got jailed once his trial ended, and I doubt any of the minnows could get in touch once the whole thing fell through." He turned to give Ryuji a look. "Minnows means 'small-timers' in criminal organizations."

The blonde huffed. "I know what minnows means. Stupid cat."

"Did he use anything strange?" Makoto spoke again, half out of a desire to get information, half to avoid another fight. "Weapons, a Persona?"

Akira chose that moment to speak. He described the flash of metal from between the stranger's fingers, and the way he crushed a Shadow's neck with just one hand.

Makoto tapped her chin in thought. The group watched and waited, practically hearing the gears in her mind whir and click at lightning speed. After about five minutes of silence, she, wordlessly, got up, and made her way to the attic. She returned shortly with a magazine that detailed numerous weapons, particularly ones from Asian cultures. She had left it behind to help Akira broaden his horizons, but he had taken one glance at the confusing and bizarre weaponry and decided he felt better suited to his knife.

"What you're describing..." the brunette said in a low voice as she thumbed the pages. Her eyes narrowed as she found what she was looking for, and held it out to Akira. "Was it this?"

Bagh naka...a combination of brass knuckles and small blades, easily concealed in the fist. It certainly seemed like what the stranger had. "I guess that would be it."

"Those sort of weapons are illegal in Tokyo." Makoto set aside the magazine and whipped out her phone. 

"What're you doing?"

"Calling my sister. She might be able to help. Futaba."

Jolting up from her resting position, the bespectacled girl stood rigid, giving a firm salute. "Yes, sir!"

"Can you run a search on someone fitting that description? Leave no stone unturned."

"On it." Futaba pulled out her laptop from her back, popped it open, and got her fingers to work.

"What do we do in the meantime?" asked Yusuke.

"For now," Akira said, resuming his leadership role. "We should exercise even more caution when we're in Mementos. We don't know who this person is, what their motives are, or even their associates, if they have any. We need to be careful. From now on, no one goes into the Metaverse alone."

"Agreed." group spoke in unison.

Ryuji glanced at the clock on his phone and sighed. "Last few trains are starting to run. I better jet."

"Me, too." said Ann. "Haru, will you be okay?"

"Fine, just fine. I could call for a car, worst-case scenario."

Both blonde's faces fell as the same thought ran through their heads. _'Being rich must be awesome.'_

"Akira?" asked Yusuke. "Would it be alright if I stayed the night? I'm still...a bit shaken from the encounter."

"Of course." replied the brunette, getting up to get the artist something to drink.

Makoto snapped her phone shut. "My sister's doing a search on all bagh naka purchases in Asia from within the last few years. If she gets a hit, she'll let us know."

"Alright." Akira set down a glass of ice water before Yusuke, who took it gratefully. "We reconvene here tomorrow. Sound good?"

The group nodded, hardy with resolve, and nervous excitement...


	2. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clashing is inevitable. Whether ideals, dreams, or goals, in life, confrontation is a guarantee.

"Man..." Ryuji sighed, pushing coins into one of the vending machines near the quad. "I freaking hate pop quizzes." The machine rattled and thumped, dispensing a can of fizzy lemon-lime cola. A pop later, and Ryuji was guzzling away.

"It's your own fault for not keeping up." smirked Morgana from his perch atop the machine.

"Hey, did we ever talk about neutering?" asked Ryuji, shooting the now-terrified cat a sinister grin.

Ann, munching away on a bag of cookies, lightly kicked Ryuji in the shin, mouth too full to chastise.

Akira was in thought. Had been most of the day. The stranger from Mementos hadn't left his mind. So deep in thought was he, he didn't notice the shadow that fell across him.

"Move." came a cold, unfeeling voice.

Snapping to attention, Akira stood. "Sorry, sorry. I was--" His voice caught as he took in the stranger. He was dressed in the usual Shujin attire, save for black and red shoes, and a cotton wristband on his right wrist, 'solitude' gazing up at him in white kanji. Dark skin amongst a pale sea. Dark, short and curly hair.

And beneath the round, black sunglasses he wore...dark, hateful, brown eyes.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Ryuji and Ann stopped their bickering to stare. Morgana, eyes wide, slunk back further, powerless in the world outside of cognition.

"You..." whispered Akira.

The stranger flowered at the trio, gaze barely flickering towards Ann before coming to rest on Akira again. "So. There's more of you."

"Who are you?" asked Ryuji, drink forgotten in his hand.

"Again with the questions. You're not the smart one, are you? Ryuji Sakamoto."

The blonde's eyes widened. Turning to Ann, the stranger spoke again. "Ann Takamaki. And the transfer." His gaze returned forward. "Akira Kurusu."

Fear gripped the group. Behind them, students walked and chatted, oblivious to the tense situation unfolding mere feet away. Though the sun was high and the temperature mild, in their hearts, Akira, Morgana, Ryuji, and Ann felt icy cold.

"What, you think you're the only ones who get curious?" He chuckled, but it was devoid of mirth. "When a band of hotshots shows up in Mementos, I wanna know why." He looked around. "Fox boy isn't with you...neither is that masked creature...they hiding?"

"Hardly!" Four sets of eyes turned to look at Morgana, who'd found his courage and spoken up. Though his limbs shook, he glared down confidently at the stranger.

"...A cat." The stranger seemed almost surprised. "That's a cat."

"I'm no ordinary cat!" Morgana shouted, getting into a feral stance.

"Oh, so _he_ calls you a cat, and it's fine." muttered Ryuji.

"...Hm." The stranger sighed and shook his head. "Doesn't matter. And anyway, I don't care what you guys were doing in Mementos. So long as you don't ruin anything for me, there won't be problems."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a few coins and pushed them into the machine, selecting a canned iced coffee.

"What were you doing down there?" asked Akira. "Were you trying to cause mental shutdowns?"

The coffee fell into the dispensing tray, where the stranger pulled it out, popped the top, and took a swig.

"What if I was?" He stepped closer, until he and Akira's noses were practically touching. "Gonna do anything about it?"

Akira's fists clenched as he recalled all he'd gone through at the hands of the mental shutdown and psychotic break conspiracy. The stranger noticed the action and chuckled again. "Ooh, scary. Didn't answer, though. What're you gonna do?"

"I'd stop you."

"You'd _try_."

The bell rung before the situation got any worse, the stranger adjusting his sunglasses and taking another sip of his drink. "Well, class time. So long, Phantom Thieves of Hearts."

He sauntered off, and the temperature slowly returned to normal.

-/-/-/-/-

"Holy shit, I think I pissed myself." said Ryuji, gripping his chair tight.

The second the school day ended, Akira called an emergency meeting. Ryuji was scouring the yearbook for the stranger, while the rest of the group was discussing their encounter.

"It was so...weird..." muttered Ann, rubbing her shoulders. "He must've been our age. But...it's like he wasn't human. God, I'm _still_ shaking." Sensing a cue, Haru moved in and began gently kneading Ann's shoulders. The blonde sighed and relaxed into the touch, earning a smile from the older girl.

"He was scary." Morgana said simply. "And I mean _scary_ scary. He practically oozed killing intent. And he knows who we are. We can't let this slide."

"Found it!" shouted Ryuji, making everyone wince. "This him?"

He pointed to a picture of the stranger who was staring forward with a grim expression on his face. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but there was no mistaking that scowl. "Yeah..." Akira muttered. "That's him."

"Why don't we use this thing more?" asked Ryuji as he stowed away the yearbook. "Think about it, we found Haru in this thing, Makoto prolly used it in her investigation of us..."

"I did." she replied, not even looking up from her magazine.

"Pretty coincidental, s'all I'm saying."

"Anyway..." said Morgana. "What's the plan, Akira?"

It was a while before the brunette answered. "He all but implied he was up to no good in Mementos. What's his name again?"

"Sho Shingi." piped up Futaba. "Born December 22, he's 5'9", 211 pounds, ranked 8th in your year..." 

As the hacker rambled off facts, Ryuji let out a low, impressed whistle. "Damn, what else did you find out about him?"

"He's circumcised."

Ann, who had taken a moment to take a sip of some canned tea, promptly spat it out, spraying Ryuji in a shower of peach and lemon. The other blonde seemed to barely register it, however, his face flaming red. "He WHAT!?"

"I'm _kidding_!" cackled the orange-haired girl. "I don't look into medical records anymore; I have standards."

"...Wait, did you say anymo--"

"Anyway, I found out some stuff.” cut off Futaba and expertly dodging the question. “Turns out this kid didn't have the best home life. Abusive parents...not fun. But he emancipated himself at thirteen, and he's been taking care of himself since then. Came to Japan two years ago."

"Why?"

"Wish I knew. He's been pretty under the radar. Transferred to Shujin in his first year. That's about it." sighed Futaba, shutting her laptop and resting her arms and head on it. "Nap tiiiiiiiime~"

Reaching into his pocket, Akira pulled out his phone and swiped to the Meta-Nav. "Sho Shingi."

 

_[No candidate found.]_

 

"That's surprising." scoffed Ryuji. "Dude totally seemed like the type to have a Palace."

The group fell into silence, each pondering the next move. But nothing seemed to come to mind, until Makoto's phone began ringing.

"Hello?" she asked after flipping it open. "...Mmhm. Alright...got it, thanks." A smile made its way to her face, crimson eyes shining. "That was Sae. We got something."

She relayed the information to her teammates; a while back, there had been a raid on a weapons cache in the depths of Shinjuku. It had been kept out of the public due to the numerous undercover work involved. Most of the dealers and clientele had been arrested, save for the ones who were smart enough to use cash. After a visit to one of the dealers and a bit of 'persuasive needling' courtesy of Sae Nijima, she learned the description of one of the regulars. A boy, high-school age. A dark-skinned foreigner with dark hair and sunglasses.

"So how come they never mentioned him before?" asked Haru. "Surely they wouldn't have had any objections to taking down a high-schooler."

"That's the interesting part. Apparently the higher-ups in the ring just confessed. Like they...had a change of heart..."

"...We need to find this guy.” said Akira. “Now."

The group nodded in unison, one mind, one mission. "Agreed."

-/-/-/-/-

The air in Mementos was the same as ever. Thick. Damp. Choking. It seeped through the doors of Morgana's car form, staining the seats and clinging to the nostrils of its occupants. Akira kept a firm grip on the wheel, the pedal halfway to the floor, eyes wary and weapons ready.

"I've got a lock." came Futaba's voice in their heads. "Three floors down from where you are now. A massive swarm of Shadows, and one signature similar to that of the rest of the Phantom Thieves."

"Hey," smirked Ryuji. "If we're lucky, those Shadows might take him out before we get there.”

No one laughed.

Past wayward Shadows the car sped, the grotesque, hulking forms seeming to slink away as they approached. When they reached the floor their target was on, Morgana ended the transformation, the seven readying themselves. It would be too dangerous to use a vehicle; their quarry might hear them.

"Scanning the floor..." said Futaba. "And...got it! Head left, then right, make two lefts, then another right, and he should be there."

"Thanks, Oracle." Tightening his gloves, Akira faced his team. "Keep your guard up, everyone. We have no idea what this guy is capable of."

"Besides killing a Shadow sort of bare-handed."

"Thank you, Skull." grumbled Morgana.

As they followed Futaba's directions, the group began to notice irregularities in Mementos, more than the ones innate to the area. Large globs of tar-like substance, peppering the floor, walks, and even occasionally the ceiling. "Shadow remains..." Morgana noted, with a tinge of fear in his voice.

As they neared, an enraged howl reached their ears, an object hurtling towards them at high speed. "Get down!" ordered Akira, and the group fell to their knees. Above them, an Incubus sailed past, slamming into a pillar and cracking it before dissolving into wisps.

"...I guess we're close." Makoto muttered.

As they walked further down, they saw it; a veritable army of Shadows surrounding a young man. Sho stood in the center, knees bent, hands raised in an unusual stance, eyes narrowed behind his wolf mask.

Taking up positions behind one of the pillars, they conferred. "What's the plan, Joker?" asked Morgana.

"We wait. If this guy really is changing people's hearts, we need to catch him in the act."

"What if the Shadows take him out before then? We'd have nothing to worry about, right?"

"Skull!" Ann chided. But she had to admit, he was right.

Moments later, they realized it wouldn't be that easy. An Onmoraki charged, flailing its arms and shrieking, and the rest followed, attacking en masse.

Snarling, Sho spread his fingers, the blades of the bagh naka flashing briefly before he cut the Onmoraki to shreds. Whirling around, he kicked, catching an Orthrus square in the jaw and immediately following up with a slash to the second head's face, both howling in pain.

"Holy shit, he's effin' fast!" balked Ryuji as Sho clawed clean through a Jack Frost, grabbed an Oni by the neck, and cut. Both let out screams of pain before fading into nothingness.

Shadow after Shadow fell, and Sho showed no signs of tiring. Finally, all that was left was a mere High Pixie, who shivered as she looked up at the glowering boy.

"H-Hey, couldn't you just--" The plea was silenced as Sho raised his hand and swung it down, the sound of ringing blades echoing across the floor.

"You're…y-you’re not...human..." groaned the High Pixie as she faded away.

Just as quiet seemed to settle over the battlefield, a burst of light made the boy shield his eyes. The chamber filled with the beat of giant wings, and as the light cleared, he gazed up at the Shadow before him. If the wings weren't enough of a giveaway, the impressive sword, impassive face, and regal, authoritative aura were.

Dominion.

Quick as Sho himself, the Shadow pointed his sword at the youth, the tip just barely grazing his nose. 

"You saunter in unannounced." it spoke, heavenly voice filling the heads of Sho, and even Akira and his team. "Devastate this holy land. Lay waste to my brethren. This cannot go unpunished."

Unperturbed, Sho swatted the sword away from the Shadow and leapt forward, hand raised. Moving faster, the Dominion swung a wing, slamming him into a wall. Sho let out a cry of pain and slumped to the floor. As he tried to stand, the Shadow planted a foot on his chest, pinning him down and making him cry out again.

"Okay, watching time is over." said Ryuji, raising his bat.

"Don't do anything, you idiot!" Morgana hissed.

"What, we're just gonna let him eat it? He's no good to us dead!"

The Dominion raised its sword, preparing to separate Sho's head from his shoulders. "Death is too good for you. But it will have to suffice."

As the sword came down, Sho's hand flew to his mask, and, in a weak voice, he spoke only one word.

"Lobo."

Blue flame erupted from Sho as an ethereal howl resonated across Mementos. Where once was a sword was now a jagged piece of metal. Where once was an arm was now a bloody, torn stump. Where once there was nothing, now stood a brown-furred wolf with blazing yellow eyes, sharp claws, and crimson-stained fangs. 

Glaring angrily, the Dominion gripped its stump. "You wretched human. I curse at you. May you be struck down and your soul wither--"

From his cloak, Sho pulled out a sleek, gold-plated Uzi. A click, and the Dominion was obliterated in a hail of gunfire, leaving behind only smoke and ash. 

Sho hissed in pain and fell to a knee. The wolf, Lobo, nuzzled against his leg and whimpered, earning a pat on the head from the dark-skinned boy.

"Thanks." he rasped, putting a hand to his mask and recalling his Persona. He stood with a grunt, clutching his side, leaning against the wall for support.

"I know you're hiding."

Seven hearts turned to ice.

"Whoever you are, it's been a long day." Sho sighed, weary. "I don't need this right now."

Slowly, Akira stepped out from behind the pillar, hands raised. Sho noticed and gave a wry chuckle. "Hey. If it isn't Bird Boy." His jovial nature vanished, and his fake smile was replaced with a genuine scowl. "Why are you here. I could've sworn we came to an understanding."

"I want to know what you're doing here. Why you're fighting Shadows. Are you changing people's hearts?"

"I'll say to you what I said outside this place. If I am, what're you gonna do?"

Akira wasn't powerless here. He raised a hand to his mask and spoke. "Arsene." A flash of blue flames, and the crow-like Persona appeared, chuckling maliciously. 

"I'd have to stop you." continued Akira. "You can't just do as you please, especially with the Metaverse. Someone already tried that. And we shut them down."

"Oh, Bird Boy..." Sho moved from the wall but still clutched his side. "If you're gonna use your Persona..." Slowly, he touched his mask, and Lobo reappeared, fangs bared. "You better be willing to fight. To the death."

"I don't want to kill you. You took a big hit from Dominion."

The dark-skinned boy rose to his full height, biting back a hiss of pain. "What makes you think you could even land a hit on me, Kurusu?"

"He ain't alone, for starters." Sho's eyes narrowed as the rest of the Phantom Thieves stepped out from behind the pillar, weapons in hand. Ryuji brandished his bat and gave a cocky grin. "You're pretty good against Shadows, but how tough do you think you are against us?"

Sho grit his teeth, resisting the urge to reach for his firearm. "Looks who's acting all holier-than-thou. You stalk me down here, and then decide to surround and interrogate me after I'm injured. You sure you're the good guys?"

"I assure you," spoke Yusuke. "We're certainly more noble than some ragamuffin who would seek to change people's hearts for his own gain."

Sho clenched his fist. It was like this everywhere he went. Always judged, always ostracized, always seen for the worst. Thousands of miles away and nothing seemed to change. "You're all alike..."

"Huh?" asked Akira, quirking an eyebrow.

"Humans...you bastards never change...well, guess what?" Sho stood more rigid, holding back pain. "I don't give a damn what you think of me. You've already made up your minds about who you think I am. And more than anyone, I know how impossible it is for people to change. Not without the Metaverse."

In one fluid motion, he reached inside his cloak and pulled out a small, white sphere. 

"All of you can go to hell!" cried Sho, hurling the object to the ground, where it exploded in a cloud of white.

"Smoke bomb!" Makoto shouted.

Acting quickly, Morgana called out Mercurius, a gust of wind emanating from the Persona. But when the smoke cleared, Sho was gone, not a trace of him to be found.

"Shit, that guy's slippery!" Angry, Ryuji hurled his bat the ground and stomped the floor.

"We'll get him." Akira commented. "It's a school night. He has to show up at Shujin tomorrow. And then we'll solve this mystery."

-/-/-/-/-

Sho was absent the following day. The group searched high and low for him, as discreetly as possible, but he had all but vanished. And a long weekend was coming up.

The situation was bad, and they knew it. A potentially dangerous agent had disappeared under their radar, and if--a big 'if' if there ever was--he was coming back to Shujin, they wouldn't know for days.

The group had their own matters to attend to, leaving Akira to hold down the fort at Leblanc. As he nursed his failure over a cup of house blend, Sho's words echoed in his head. 

 

_'You've already made up your minds about who you think I am.'_

 

…It hit a little close to home. 

"Things alright?" Akira looked up to see Sojiro staring at him, concern etched into his face. 

"Yeah, just...thinking."

"Trouble in paradise with that teacher of yours?"

Akira's face bloomed red. "W-What!? No, o-of course not! Nothing like that!"

"Relax, I'm just messing with you." chuckled Sojiro. "Futaba's right; you're so easy to rile up." A pause. " _Are_ things okay, though?"

"Of course." Akira lied, taking another sip of his coffee, the rich bitterness burning its way down his throat.

-/-/-/-/-

The streets of Yongen-jaya always held a certain kind of allure, particularly at night. It seemed to pulse taking on a life of its own as its denizens moved this way and that, destinies intertwining, in either passing glances or extended confederations. It was a quaint town, with just the right air of mystery to keep things exciting. 

Breathing in the cool night air, Akira made his way towards Tae Takemi's clinic. Their medical supplies were starting to run low, and it was better he stock up now, while he remembered, than be without them in the heat of battle.

"Well, well." smirked Tae as the jingle of her door alerted her to her best customer. "Look what the cat drug in. Speaking of, where is that cat of yours?"

"Vet." Akira replied. "He, ah...had some bad tuna."

"My thoughts and prayers go out to him. Anyway. What're you in the market for?"

By the time he was done shopping, Akira's wallet was a good deal lighter, and Tae's coffers much heavier. "Geez, I get any more customers like you and that kid, I'll be able to retire soon."

"Well, you're a great doctor, who wouldn't want to b--" Akira paused. "Kid?"

"Yeah, some foreigner. Came in here the other day and nearly bought out my wares. Looked kinda in pain. I asked if I could take a look at him and he just brushed me off. Kids these days, no respect for their elders. Which I'm sure you must know all about."

It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. "What did he look like?"

"Hmmm..." Tae tapped her chin in thought. "Dark-skinned. Short, curly black hair. Oh, and these big, round sunglasses."

-/-/-/-/-

Sho's eyes snapped open, squinting at the harsh light that streamed through his bedroom window. Grumbling angrily, he stood and shut the blinds, and closed the curtains for good measure. Wearily, he crawled back into bed, and tried salvaging some sleep. A long weekend was coming, and he was looking forward to it.

His reprieve, however, was cut short by the sound of tiny fists hitting wood. "Onii-chan! Onii-chan!" Sho groaned. Sleep wouldn't come easy for him today. He dragged himself out of bed, towards the door, wincing slightly as a small flare of pain shot up his ribs.

He opened to door to see a little girl in a floral sundress and black hair pulled into a side ponytail bouncing on her heels. "Onii-chan!" she greeted, attaching herself to Sho's leg.

"What do you want, Mayu?" asked the brunette. "It's early."

"That mean boy at my school!" she shouted. "He stopped picking on me, just like you said he would! He even apologized and said he'd never do it again!"

"That's great, Mayu. Now, you mind letting me get back to bed?"

Reaching into her dress pocket, Mayu pulled out a small coffee candy and pressed it into Sho's palm. "Thanks for helping me, onii-chan!" She smiled, and turned around and skipped off.

 _'Such a darling child.'_ Lobo chuckled, in the recesses of Sho's mind. Sighing, Sho stared at the candy Mayu had given him. The wrapping was brightly-colored, and wrapped far tighter than necessary. 

"Where does a kid even get coffee candy?" he said to himself as he unwrapped it, popping it into his mouth. The sweet taste of milk coffee blossomed across his tongue, and he trudged back to bed, eager for precious sleep. Before that, he reached under his pillow and pulled out a pen and a small notepad, which bore several crossed out names. He looked to the bottom, where the name 'Mayu Shizuki' sat, next to other important information. 'Being bullied.' 'Shinji Ran.' 'Fourth floor.' 'Possibly commanding a Shadow horde.' 

Crossing out the information, Sho stowed away the notepad and pen, plopped his head onto the pillow with a sigh, and slept.

-/-/-/-/-

"How's it coming?" asked Akira, nervousness present in his otherwise calm voice. 

"Same as when you asked literally two minutes ago." glowered Futaba, eyes not leaving her screen. "Seriously, you need the chillest of pills right now."

Code flashed across the screen, gibberish to Akira, but a whole, secret language to Futaba. She could divine all sorts of information within the stream of data. If there was something, anything left behind by Sho, she would find it.

"Bingo. Got an address. Some apartment complex about 20 minutes outside of town. How'd I miss this the first time..." As Futaba muttered to herself, Akira called up the group, fingers a blur as he punched in numbers.

-/-/-/-/-

For the second time that day, Sho was awoken by pounding on the door. Grumbling angrily, he stood up and went to it, and opened the door.

To come face to face with the cheekily grinning face of Ryuji. "Hey, there, Sho."

The brunette dove to the side to grab the pocketknife he kept on the nearby table, but a blur zoomed out from behind the blonde and struck. Makoto delivered a palm strike to Sho's ribs that made him cry out, and stunned him just long enough to wrench his arm behind his back.

Akira stepped out and shut the door, looking almost apologetic. "Isn't that a little rough, Makoto?"

"You said not to take chances." 

"What makes you think I can't get out of this?" hissed Sho, anger burning in his eyes.

"Even if you do," spoke the younger Nijima. "You'd have to fight off Ryuji and Akira. And if by some miracle you do that, we have Haru, Yusuke, Ann, Futaba, and Morgana waiting just outside."

Sho snarled, looking in the verge of murder.

"If I let you up, do you promise not to do anything dangerous?"

"Define dangerous."

"Let him up, Makoto." Akira said with a weary sigh.

The brunette released her grip, Sho turning around with slitted, angry eyes. "Okay." she said. "Just don't make me regr--" Her words were cut short as Sho spat in her face.

Letting out an enraged shriek, Makoto dove, only for Ryuji to wrap his arms around the girl's waist. Words failed her, her otherwise calm and professional demeanor replaced by blind fury. 

"What's all that noise!?" The door swung open to reveal a stout, angry-looking woman with barely-noticeable gray streaks in her otherwise jet-black hair. No doubt the landlord. "Sho, who are these people?"

If they hadn't seen it, they wouldn't have believed it. Sho put on a wide, bright smile. Ryuji almost loosened his grip on Makoto, it was so unexpected. "All's well, Kotobuki-san. Just having some friends over." Even his voice changed, gone from its dour rasp to a peppy, upbeat tone.

The old woman eyed the flailing Makoto. "What's wrong with her?"

"Old girlfriend." was Sho's immediate reply, and Ryuji had to turn his snort of laughter into a cough, which also managed to block the offended scream Makoto let out. "She still misses a bit of the old Sho and Tell." He flashed a wolfish grin. "Can you blame her?"

Akira covered his mouth to hide the smile that was forming on his face despite the situation. Kotobuki-san sighed and shook her head. "So that was her shouting like a banshee earlier? Keep the noise down if you can, alright?"

"Will do, Kotobuki-san." replied Sho, waving her goodbye. As she left, Akira shut the door again.

Sho reverted back to his default, glaring at the Phantom Thieves. His gaze locked onto Akira. "You're not the only one who wears masks."

-/-/-/-/- 

Makoto showed no immediate signs of calming down, so they replaced her with Haru, whom they hoped would be decidedly more diplomatic. Akira assured Sho they were only there to talk, and seeing as how the cards weren't in his favor, he had no choice but to acquiesce.

"Let's start with what you're doing in the Metaverse." asked Akira, sitting opposite Sho at the table in his little kitchen. Ryuji and Haru flanked him, ready to fight at a moment's notice (although they hoped it wouldn't come to that).

"Fighting Shadows."

Akira sighed. "Yes, but why."

"What's it to you? You fight Shadows, you don't see me storming Leblanc and giving you the third degree."

The brunette paled.

"Yeah, I know where you live. All of you. Have for a while. And not once did I stroll by and give you any static."

A pang of guilt rippled through the trio. He had them pegged. So far, they didn't have any actual proof he did anything malicious, aside from maybe thinning the amount of Shadows in Mementos by a percentage. 

"I know your type. You aren't gonna quit bugging me until you get answers."

"Damn right." replied Ryuji.

Sho pointed to his bed. "Under my pillow."

Akira made a face. "I'm not exactly anxious to see your porn."

"One, shut up. Two, it's 2017. Who has physical copies of porn anymore? And three, it's your proof."

Haru walked to the bed and reached under the pillow, getting the notepad and scanning it. "’Yuki Yamamoto, blackmailed by ex-boyfriend. Suzuki Demigawa. Kaji Homura, being extorted by his boss, Gendo Mitsuba. Eri Tada, forced to’...oh, god..." Haru choked slightly as she read the words. "’F-forced to...perform at a...p-p-p-pink salon, by...her own husband, Tetsuo Tada’."

"The hell's a 'pink salon'?" asked Ryuji.

"Trust me." Sho said grimly. "You don't want to know."

"What's with all these names?" asked Akira, taking the list from Haru. "And...there's notes next to them. 'Weak to curse, strong against bless.' 'Commands a Shadow horde.' 'Strong against gun skills...' These are actually pretty intricate." He looked at the list again. "Tetsuo even had a Palace."

"I like to know my target before getting in there. Being unprepared would just get me killed."

"...So you _have_ been changing hearts." But, Akira noted, if what was written on the notepad was true, a lot of these were people the Thieves would've gone after themselves.

Silence befell the tiny apartment, the trio looking uncomfortably at the list, and Sho glaring at them. "We done here?" asked the brunette. "I've got stuff to do."

"...Who's your next target?" Akira asked.

"Say what?"

"Your next target." Pushing up his glasses, the brunette continued. "I need to find out if what you're saying is true. We're going with you on your next mission."

"We are?" asked Ryuji and Haru in unison, at the same time Sho shouted "The hell you are!" Sho bared his teeth again and pointed a finger at the group. "I've been doing just fine on my own; I don't need help, especially from any of you, you self-righteous bastards. I work _alone_."

"Either we go with you on this next mission to see if what you're saying is true." spoke Akira, leaving no room for discussion. "Or..." He left the question hanging, leaving Sho to draw his own conclusions.

Sho's fists were clenched so hard, the knuckles were white. His face turned a furious shade of purple, and both Haru and Ryuji would be lying if they said they didn't fear for their lives, even outside the Metaverse. "I was planning on going there this afternoon, at around 2pm, just outside Shibuya Station." Sho said through gritted teeth. "I swear, if any of you get in my, I won't hesitate to kill you all on the spot."

"We won't. We'll be there to observe. But the second we suspect foul play, we _will_ put you down."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

-/-/-/-/-

" _Man_ , that guy rubs me the wrong way!" snapped Ryuji as they walked down the stairs of the apartment complex. "What's his freaking _deal_?"

"We kind of have been harassing him." a commented Haru. "And he doesn't really seem to get along with people."

"What I’d give to just punch that guy, just once, really hard in the fu--" The blonde's curse was cut off as he smacked into someone. He let of a yell as he toppled to the ground, rubbing his forehead.

"Oh, goodness, I'm sorry!" A young woman, somewhere in her late 20s, reached down and pulled Ryuji to his feet. "Are you alright, young man?"

"Yeah, yeah,” Ryuji assured. “No harm, no foul, lady."

"Tsk, tsk." The group turned to see Kotobuki-san walking by, and making her way down the stairs. "You really need to watch your step, Tada-san."

"I'll be more careful." smiled the younger woman.

Just as the three were about to continue descending, they froze. Ryuji whirled around and called out towards the woman he bumped into. "Hey, lady, hold up!"

"Yes? And it's not 'lady', it's Eri Tada." That was one question answered.

"You know a guy named Sho Shingi?" asked Ryuji.

"Oh, the young man a few doors down? Yes, I do! Such a delightful boy. And very helpful." The trio shared a look, wondering if they were talking about the same person.

"Helpful how?" asked Akira. 

"He helped me with a..." She averted her gaze, eyes turning downcast. "Problem with my husband a while ago. Well, ex-husband. I'm not sure what Sho did, but...he must be a miracle worker."

Again, the trio shared looks, knowing they were all thinking the same thing.

"I'd love to stay and chat," Eri said. "But I'm running late. Again, sorry for bumping into you." With that, she scurried off.

A long silence fell upon the group as the situation set in.

"...Anyone else feeling a bit crummy?" asked Ryuji.


	3. A Solitary Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six steps. Two hearts. But one mind. A wolf's mind.

Futaba closed her laptop and sighed. "He was telling the truth. Everything about the people on those lists, true. Suzuki Demigawa was a sleazy former reporter who had used shady connections to uncover damning information about his ex-girlfriend, a high-ranking office worker. The texts he sent and received prove he was holding that info over her head to make her keep going out with him."

"What about Gendo Mitsuba?" asked Akira.

"He was embezzling money from the company and used Kaji as an accessory. And based on the emails he sent to the loan sharks that started the mess in the first place, he was gonna use him as a fall guy."

"...Tetsuo Tada?"

"Correspondence between him and the owner of the salon proves he was using his wife to pay off debts. Told ya. It's all true."

Ryuji couldn't believe it. "You're telling me that angry dude...is actually a good guy?"

"I wouldn't use those words." replied Makoto coldly, still brimming with subdued anger. 

"I also found something else out while digging." continued Futaba. "All those people he helped? They live in his complex. 

"So he must be close to them." ventured Yusuke. "Odd. I can't imagine someone of his character being close to anyone."

"You're telling me." replied Ryuji. "Dude's pricklier than a cactus."

"He also happens to be a very powerful Persona user and a savvy combatant." All eyes turned to Morgana, who'd finally decided to speak up. "Taking out a horde of Shadows, _and_ a Dominion...that's not easy, especially for one person."

"...You aren't saying what I think you're saying?" asked Ann.

"Strength in numbers." Morgana said, which was met with a resounding "No." from Ryuji, Ann, and Makoto. "Why not!?"

"Um, A, he's freakin' crazy." said Ryuji, ticking off his fingers. "B, he's a jerk. And C, he's scary as hell."

"He's also _rude_." Makoto put in. 

"He also said he works alone." said Haru. "He might not even want to join us."

"That's fine." Makoto and Ryuji said in perfect sync. They wanted to argue their case more, but the clock read 1:15pm, and they had to make their way to the rendezvous. 

-/-/-/-/-

He was waiting just outside the station when they arrived at minutes to 2, a dark spot in a pale sea. His sunglasses caught the light, making him look even more sinister.

"So you showed up." he grumbled. "I was hoping you'd forget."

"Not a chance." Ryuji snapped.

"Let's get this going." cut in Akira, trying to keep the peace.

"Again, don't get in my way."

Phones were pulled out, apps pressed, and the vibrant, colorful Shibuya backdrop was slowly replaced by the dreary red and black of Mementos, the familiar, stagnant air filling their lungs.

"Yusuke, Makoto, Ann, you're on backup. Ryuji, Haru, Morgana, you're with me. Got us covered, Futaba?"

"Got it, boss." replied the redhead with a lopsided grin.

With a stylish flourish and a poof of smoke, Morgana changed into his car form, popping the doors open. "Hop in, everybody!" As they filed in, Akira taking the wheel, Sho stared with wide eyes.

"Your cat...it's a car."

"Oh, right!" smiled Haru. "This is the first time you've seen Morgana transform!"

"...I usually walk."

"It'd take hours." spoke Morgana. "Hop in, there's room for one more."

Sho stared impassively at the car before clambering inside and taking the back seat, folding his arms.

"So where's the target?" asked Morgana, voice all around.

"Path of Adyeshach."

"...Anything else? Their name? What they did?"

"Target's Tsubasa Renbu." sighed Sho in exasperation. "She's been stalking this dude, Daisuke...something or other, who already has a girlfriend. It started as minor stuff, like creepy love letters and late-night calls begging him to leave his girlfriend so they could ‘be together’. Then he started getting death threats. Saying she was gonna kill them both if he didn't leave his girlfriend for her."

"Goodness..." whispered Haru, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Happy?" Sho asked. "Let's go."

The drive took an hour. Maybe more. It was hard to tell in Mementos, and time lost much of its meaning in the cognitive hellscape.

When they arrived on the fifth floor of the Path of Adyeshach, Sho perked his head up, eyes narrowed and nose twitching. "She's here..."

"You can sniff out Shadows?" asked Morgana, surprise evident in his voice.

"How else do you find them?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

"We usually just drive around until we find the distortion." Ryuji replied. "It can take a while."

Sho blanched. "...I can't believe this is the skill of the mighty Phantom Thieves."

The drive began, otherwise silent, save for the occasional directional input from Sho as he tracked his target. Left. Left again. Right. No, back that way, you missed the turn.

By the time they made it to the distortion, Sho was past 'annoyed' and into 'pissed'. As the sight of the spiraling distortion came into view, he opened the door and tucked and rolled out of Morgana, skidding to a stop and getting to a knee.

"Hey, that's dangerous, man!" shouted Ryuji as Morgana pulled to a stop. "We were going, like, fifty!"

"Big deal." Sho replied. "We're here." He glared back at the Thieves and pointed to the ground. "Stay. I'm going solo."

"You think you got the right to be givin' us orders, you piece'a shit!?" snapped Ryuji, clenching his fists.

"We're following you in." spoke Morgana, revering to his normal form. "You might need backup."

A low growl went up as Sho's eyes flashed killer red. "I don't need _backup_." He practically spat the word out, as though it were filthy. "And I don't need you getting in my way and ruining everything." Sho stepped towards them, teeth bared, a dark, chilling aura surrounding him. "Beat it."

A single bead of sweat rolled down Ryuji's temple, and Haru and Morgana stood stock still, eyes nervously glancing towards Akira, who remained impassive.

"We came all this way." he said after what seemed like an eternity. "At least let us watch you in action. We'll observe, nothing more."

Silence befell the group again. Angrily, Sho whirled around, facing the distortion once more, hissing "Whatever.", and leapt in. The quartet raced after him, diving into the swirling, malevolent portal...

-/-/-/-/-

The second Sho landed, he knew something was off. Different from the usual feeling of dread and unease that came from being inside Mementos. Not ten meters away was Tsubasa, but not alone. Muzzled and bound before her in heavy iron chains was the wispy form of the very person whom Sho sought to help. Daisuke. Or, more accurately, his Shadow.

Even by regular standards, Tsubasa's Shadow looked twisted. Her yellow eyes gave off a sickly glow, and her clothes were in tatters, stained with blood that took the form of jagged hearts. Her lipstick-smeared lips were pulled into a twisted smile, which turned into a scowl when she saw Sho.

"Who are you?" she hissed angrily, yanking up Daisuke's Shadow by a leash attached to a thick, leather collar, muffled moans escaping his gagged mouth. "You're intruding on our love nest."

"I'm the Wolf of Mementos." snapped Sho. Spreading out his arms from his cloak, he gripped his bagh naka, blades shining between his fingers. "And I'm here to rip you apart."

Wild, howling laughter erupted behind Sho, making him swear and whip around. Ryuji stumbled as he landed, but kept laughing. "'The Wolf of Mementos'!? That's so...lame!"

Morgana slapped a paw to his forehead. "Tactless as ever."

Tsubasa shrieked in anger and tightened her hold on the leash more. "More interlopers! Do none of you understand privacy!?" From her skirt pocket, she produced a serrated knife and brandished it at Sho and the Phantom Thieves. "Get out! All of you! Daisuke is _mine_!”

“Daisuke’s moved on, you’re a crazy bitch, and no amount of therapy will probably help you.” Sho raised his hands. “That’s why I’m here.” 

An earsplitting screech burst from Tsubasa, who tossed the bound and gagged Shadow Daisuke aside. Tendrils of black and red burst from her form, twisting around her to form a cocoon of sludgy matter. From the hardened shell burst a skeletal pink wing, riddled with holes. A second wing burst, this one bent at an irregular angle. Two pockmarked arms clawed out, the hands bearing several broken nails. What once was Tsubasa’s Shadow tore its way out of the cocoon, revealing itself to be a Lilim. Or at least, tried to be.

Its skin was horribly blemished and scarred, much of the markings in the shape of jagged hearts. Her eyes were a neon pink, leaking twin rivers of blood. Her black hair flowed behind her in matted, greasy clumps, ending before her too-small waist. A jagged, black tail swayed behind her, the end tipped with a cracked heart.

Moving erratically, it grabbed the leash and dragged Daisuke’s Shadow back to her side. “Daisuke belongs to _me_!!” she growled in a throaty rasp, revealing rows of jagged, yellow teeth.

“Geez…” Ryuji grimaced. “And I thought Kamoshida had the ugliest Shadow.”

Sho zoomed forwards, prepared to slash Lilim to ribbons. She, however, held Daisuke in front of her, making the dark-skinned boy stop, inches from the helpless Shadow.

 _’Dammit, she’s using him as a shield!’_ A flash of pink in the corner of his eye. Sho raised his hands, catching the brunt of the strike, but was still sent flying backwards.

Haru stepped forward, bat in hand, only to stop as Akira held out a palm. “We promised not to interfere.”

Sho was a blur as he moved around the battlefield, trying to find an opening. Whenever he leapt to strike, Lilim would hold out Daisuke’s Shadow, and he had to pause, and narrowly avoid a strike from her wings. Gritting his teeth, Sho drew his firearm, taking aim. “Can’t miss…” he muttered.

“Just try and hit me!” cackled Lilim, waving Daisuke’s Shadow teasingly in front of her. “Just make sure you don’t hit my boooooooooooyfrieeeeeeeeeend…” 

Scowling, Sho raised his Uzi upwards and fired off a shot. Lilim laughed and pointed a scaly finger. “Stupid mutt! You can’t even aim right! What good are--”

Her words were cut short as a stalactite fell, slicing through the leash. As Daisuke’s Shadow fell from Lilim’s grip, Sho rushed forward and grabbed him, just barely managing to get out of the way of the crazed Shadow’s wingbeats. 

“ _ **Get your hands off him, you faggot!!**_ ” screamed Lilim, chasing down the brunette. 

“Persona!” Lobo appeared in a flash of blue flame, sinking his fangs into the Shadow’s wing. She screeched in pain, furiously thrashing in an attempt to shake Lobo off. Sho set Daisuke’s Shadow behind a nearby pillar and pointed a finger at him. “Stay.” The Shadow nodded eagerly.

A whimper echoed across the field, a searing jolt of pain immediately shooting up Sho’s arm, followed by a sickening crack. Sho swore as he took a knee, his left arm feeling like it had been run through with iron spikes. Just as he turned, a wing struck him across the face, sending him flying.

“Akira!” pleaded Haru, watching the events unfold. Akira stood silent, but the brunette saw him reach for his revolver and slide back the hammer. None of them knew whether or not Sho would make good on his promise to kill them if they got in his way, but Akira would risk it if it meant saving his life.

Sho gripped his arm, feeling it hang limply. It was broken, useless. Across from him, Lobo barely stood, panting heavily, one of its legs bent at an odd angle. 

_’We can’t take another hit like that…’_ came Lobo’s faint voice in his head.

“I’ll kill you!” shrieked Lilim. Raising another wing high, the bones extending to form sharp needles. “DIE!”

Sho sighed. He was going to need a lot of rest after this one. Weakly, his raised his hand, Lobo mirroring his action. 

“Terror Claw.”

From Lobo appeared a massive claw cloaked in purple, ethereal flame, striking through Lilim from the back and holding her in midair. Panting heavily, Sho rose to his feet, clutching his broken arm. “Normally,” he said, relishing the look of fear on the crazed Shadow’s face. “I don’t strike from behind. But you’re a special case.” He raised his hand again.

“Maeigaon.”

Howling, roaring, screeching black and red skulls burst around, consuming Lilim as she screamed in agony. In one final, desperate attack, she extended her wing to an enormous length, and swung. Sho just barely managed to duck down as the wing cleaved the pillar behind him in two. “If I can’t have Daisuke,” cackled Lilim as she faded. “ _NO ONE WILL!_ ”

Sho whirled around to see the pillar Daisuke’s Shadow was beneath had been cut, and was now toppling downwards, directly on top of the struggling and pleading cognition.

“ _ **Lobo!**_ ” The wolf sprung into action, racing towards Daisuke as Sho followed suit. Deciding enough was enough, Akira, Ryuji, Morgana, and Haru dashed towards the falling pillar, only to be stopped by a round of warning shots from Sho’s Uzi at their feet. “Don’t interfere!”

The two reached Daisuke’s Shadow just as the pillar fell to the ground with a thunderous crash. Haru clapped her hands over her mouth, fearing the worst. Akira cursed himself for not acting sooner, until they saw the pillar begin to move.

With one good arm and his Persona lifting it with his back, the pillar was raised, and Daisuke’s Shadow was safe. Terrified, but alive. Sho glared daggers at the Thieves, shucking the pillar off with another loud crash.

“I _told_ you." he panted, legs shaking. "I don’t...need your help. I don't need any of..."

His voice trailed off as he collapsed, Lobo fading away in wisps of blue flame.

-/-/-/-/- 

Brown eyes snapped open. Their owner, a dark-skinned boy with dark, curly hair rose, yelling out in pain as he clutched his arm and side. He looked down to see he was in what looked like a hospital bed. His broken arm was in a sling, a heating pad attached to his ribs. Next to him was a nighttable that held his glasses, folded neatly on a cleaning cloth. 

“Well, well. Look who’s awake.” 

Sho turned to see Tae Takemi, giving him a bemused smile from her desk. “Alarming recovery. Only two months.”

“Two months!?” Sho exclaimed. 

The doctor chuckled and twirled a pen between her fingers. “No, it’s only been a day. I just thought that would be funny.”

Sho grumbled and lied back in bed, rubbing his temples. “How…how did I get here?”

“My guinea pig and his friends dropped you off. Ordinarily, I would’ve charged pretty big to fix up a half-dead kid, buuuut…he and I have history. So I waived the fee and didn’t ask questions.” She reached into her drawer and pulled out a small envelope and handed it to Sho. “They did leave this for you, though.”

Snatching the envelope from her hand (“Rude.” Tae commented, clucking her tongue), Sho tore it open and read the contents. 

“’Dear, Sho. We were wrong about you. We judged you unfairly, and we’re sorry about that. We might not agree on a lot, but your heart is in the right place. You acted selflessly, and we can only admire that. Daisuke’s Shadow is fine, and we followed up on the situation; Tsubasa has backed off, and everything went fine. Daisuke and his girlfriend send their thanks, and wish you a quick recovery. See you around Mementos? 

\--Signed, The Phantom Thieves of Hearts.'”

At the bottom were seven signatures, and a cat paw, followed by a phone number.

-/-/-/-/-

[ **Sho Shingi** has entered **The Hideout** ]

 **Sho Shingi:** The Hideout? You must be joking.

 **Don Karasu** : It’s a working title.

Sho Shingi is typing…

 **Sho Shingi:** I can only assume that’s Kurusu.

 **Kid Squid** : You are correct, sir!

[ **Sho Shingi** has been changed to **The Wolf of Mementos** ]

 **The Wolf of Mementos** : You didn’t.

 **Kid Squid** : Totally did. :P

 **Don Karasu** : Nice of you to join us. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An so ends The Wolf of Mementos! I'd like to thank all who bothered to read along, give kudos, etc. Stay tuned, because this isn't the end of Sho working with the Phantom Thieves~


End file.
